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1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his
servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending
his angel to his servant John,
2 who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and
the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed
are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because
the time is near.
4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and
peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and
from the seven spirits before his throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn
from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who
loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and
Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will
mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
Revelation 1:1-7
Explanation:
Others had risen from the dead--people whom the prophets, Jesus,
and the apostles had brought back to life during their ministries--but
later those people died again. Jesus was the first who rose from
the dead in an imperishable body (1 Corinthians 15:20), never to
die again. He is the firstborn from the dead. Many hesitate to witness
about their faith in Christ because they don't feel the change in
their lives has been spectacular enough.
But you qualify as a witness for Jesus because of what
he has done for you, not because of what you have done for him.
Christ demonstrated his great love by setting us free from our sins
through his death on the cross (freed us from our sins by his blood);
guaranteeing us a place in his kingdom, and making us priests to
administer God's love to others. The fact that the all-powerful
God has offered eternal life to you is nothing short of spectacular.
Jesus is portrayed as an all-powerful King, victorious
in battle, glorious in peace. He is not just a humble earthly teacher,
he is the glorious God. When you read John's description of the
vision, keep in mind that his words are not just good advice, they
are truth from the King of kings. Don't just read his words for
their interesting and amazing portrayal of the future. Let the truth
about Christ penetrate your life, deepen your faith in him, and
strengthen your commitment to follow him no matter what the cost.
John is announcing the return of Jesus to earth. Jesus' second coming
will be visible and victorious. All people will see him arrive and
they will know it is Jesus. When he comes, he will conquer evil
and judge all people according to their deeds. Those who pierced
him could refer to the Roman soldiers who pierced Jesus' side as
he hung on the cross or to the Jews who were responsible for his
death. John saw Jesus' death with his own eyes, and he never forgot
the horror of it.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who
is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom
and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island
of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me
a loud voice like a trumpet,
11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it
to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And
when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"
dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash
around his chest.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and
his eyes were like blazing fire.
15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice
was like the sound of rushing waters.
Revelation 1:8-15
Explanation:
Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
The Lord God is the beginning and the end. God the Father is the
eternal Lord and Ruler of the past, present, and future. Without
him you have nothing that is eternal, nothing that can change your
life, nothing that can save you from sin. Is the Lord your reason
for living; "the Alpha and the Omega' of your life? Honor the
One who is the beginning and the end of all existence, wisdom, and
power. The Christian church was facing severe persecution. Almost
all believers were socially, politically, or economically suffering
because of this empire-wide persecution, and some were even being
killed for their faith. John was exiled to Patmos because he refused
to stop preaching the gospel. We may not face persecution for our
faith as the early Christians did, but even with our freedom few
of us have the courage to share God's Word with others. If we hesitate
to share our faith during easy times, how will we do during times
of persecution? The seven golden lampstands are the seven churches
in Asia and Jesus stands among them. No matter what the churches
face, Jesus protects them all with his all-encompassing love and
reassuring power.
Through his Spirit, Jesus Christ is still among the
churches today. When a church faces persecution, it should remember
Christ's deep love and compassion. When a church is wracked by internal
strife and conflict, it should remember Christ's concern for purity
and his intolerance for sin. This man "like a son of man"
is Jesus himself. The title Son of Man occurs many times in the
New Testament in reference to Jesus as the Messiah. John recognized
Jesus because he lived with him for three years and had seen him
both as the Galilean preacher and as the glorified Son of God at
the transfiguration. Here Jesus appears as the mighty Son of Man.
His white hair indicates his wisdom and divine nature; his blazing
eyes symbolize judgment of all evil; the golden sash around his
chest reveals him as the high priest who goes into God's presence
to obtain forgiveness of sin for those who have believed in him.
15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice
was like the sound of rushing waters.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came
a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in
all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed
his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the
First and the Last.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever
and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what
will take place later.
20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand
and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are
the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the
seven churches.
Revelation 1:15-20
Explanation:
The sword in Jesus' mouth symbolizes the power and force of his
message. His words of judgment are as sharp as swords. As the Roman
government stepped up its persecution of Christians, John must have
wondered if the church could survive and stand against the opposition.
But Jesus appeared in glory and splendor, reassuring John that he
and his fellow believers had access to God's strength to face these
trials. If you are facing difficult problems, remember that the
power available to John and the early church is also available to
you. Our sins have convicted and sentenced us, but Jesus holds the
keys of death and Hades. He alone can free us from eternal bondage
to Satan. He alone has the power and authority to set us free from
sin's control. Believers don't have to fear Hades or death, because
Christ holds the keys to both. All we must do is turn from sin and
turn to him in faith. When we attempt to control our lives and disregard
God, we set a course that leads directly to hell. But when we place
our lives in Christ's hands, he restores us now and resurrects us
later to an eternal, peaceful relationship with him. Who are the
"angels of the seven churches"? Some say that they are
angels designated to guard the churches, others say that they are
elders or pastors of the local churches. Because the seven letters
in chapters 2 and 3 contain reprimands, it is doubtful that these
angels are heavenly messengers. If these are earthly leaders of
messengers, they are accountable to God for the churches they represent.
